176 Reminiscences. 



moths. The two, of course, are correlative, for the larvae fee I 

 the hirds. And so this ideal aviary became as disai)pointing' as 

 the ])rodii^al son. In the first ])icture one can just see a Red- 

 eared Bulbnl, a Parson Mnch, and various Grass-finches, 

 Sini;"ini;-finches,elc., all feasting- on seeding" .^"rass. And T well 

 remember the standard apple tree that was planted in the middle 

 and w'hat a ma.i^nificent displayintJ- ^'round the antler-like 

 branches afforded the birds, bnt the cover theory had been incul- 

 cated so firndy that even in the picture one can see the creeper 

 i^'rowing'. Tt crept alrii^ht until the one f)lace of vantage was 

 completely enshrouded, and you had to drive the birds into the 

 shelter to convince a visitor the aviary really contained birds. 

 But lest one be acctised of unbridled pessimism, it is only fair to 

 say that Zosierops v'wcns was bred here for the first time in 

 captivity. And they, the liveliest, most fascinating and most 

 persevering birds I ever possessed really compensated me for 

 all the other delinquencies of the aviary. Red-crested Cardinals, 

 too, were bred in this aviary. I loved my Cardinals dearly, and 

 even now I fancy I can hear the cock bird calling for his mate. 

 The hen had to be sent on a journey from which there is no 

 return; she suffered from a disease of the semi-circular canals, 

 T fancy, a malady to which all tlie Emhcr\:;\na seem peculiarly 

 liable. As to the cause, T nmst confess to utter ignorance. 

 But she reared to full maturity tw(j babies, and thus her destiny 

 was fulfilled and her existence justified. Often when I sit in my 

 little garden to-day T ponder on the glories for ever past and 

 beyond my reach, and am forcibly reminded of the lines : — 



Oft in the stilly night, 



Ere slumbers' chains have bound me. 



Fond memory brings the light 

 Of other days around me. 

 And the thought makes one sad and wonder if the birds one 

 loved so well really die and are no more, or whether they, too. 

 ha\e //;('//' Paradise, and if so whetlier our Paradise and theirs 

 will coincide. I hope so. 



lo he coiitnnted. 



^t-K 



